galewskj's Profile
Where are the best dill pickles in the Twin Cities?
I have tried many pickles over the past couple years, and honestly I still prefer Clausen or Nathan's. I should have been keeping a list or something, but I haven't. Whenever I see a pickle I haven't tried, I've bought it. And Clausen is still at the top of the list. Bubbie's are downright disgusting.
Rack Shack Ribs
I tried all of their sauces and there was only one that I would want to put on food.
I was disheartened once to see them making their baked beans - open a big can of baked beans, add an ingredientt or two, stir, put into single serving containers.
I've had their brisket at least 3 times and it has always been good. I've been thinking of going back there just for brisket.
Craftsman on Lake
For me, the highlights of the place are the drinks and the charcuterie. Their drinks have top notch ingredients, are well made and bursting with flavor. The charcuterie is homemade, tasty, and a good variety. I found the hanger steak and fries to be pleasing but rather lacking in refinement. The biggest negative for me is the location - I have to drive miles away from 35W down Lake street to get there - not fun.
Where can I find habernero (hot pepper) plants in the Twin Cities?
One of the big stands at the St. Paul farmers market has them. So does Fleet farm - incidentally I bought a thai chili plant at Fleet Farm.
Genuine Home-Baked Cakes
It's interesting that this place is opening up just 2 blocks from there.
http://www.angelfoodmn.com/
They don't appear to be related. Right?
Mai Village
I was going to write something along the same lines, but didn't want to appear insensitive. Now that you did it first, I'll chip in! The food I've had at Mai Village has been mediocre at best. The service is what you would expect at cheaper Asian restaurants, which is not a compliment. I never got a sense of Vietnamese "high culture" when going to Mai Village. I know it's very hard to create a successful restaurant, and I sympathize with Mai. But I also understand why people go somewhere else for dinner.
Minneapolis Ethnic Catering Rundown
Kabobs in Bloomington - our department had a very small budget for a department picnic. I shopped around and chose Kabobs because I have eaten there many times and the price was very good.
Restaurant Week! [February 26 - March 2, 2012]
Yes, the D'Amico restaurants seem to offer a good value. I went to Campiello several RW's ago for $10 lunch and it was very nice.
Restaurant Week! [February 26 - March 2, 2012]
Yawn, I think restaurant week has been played out. It's easy to get RW fatigue when they do it four times a year. MSP mag seems to be hyping it a lot more this time around, with articles and even recommendations from their editor. Or maybe they always do this and this is the first time I've noticed.
I think there are several restaurants on the list that dumb down their menu to the point that it does not represent a good value. In the past I left Meritage and Cosmos feeling completely unsatisfied. I've never been but Ruth's Chris options are an 8 oz filet, a chicken breast, or salmon. How exciting.
The Damico restaurants seem to offer a good value. So does Capital Grille.
And I think I've said this all before....
Aida Mediterranean in Richfield
What is their website? A google search only brings up this thread.
I also am excited about a new mom and pop restaurant in my neighborhood.
Reasonably priced meats?
Yes, try Holy Land for lamb. Also, Bill's Imported Foods on Lake street has lamb cheaper than grocery stores. It is frozen. Some of the prices at Byerlys/Lunds are just silly, but they do have good sales once in a while.
Pho 83
I don't think their beef pho is as good others in Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
I think the chicken soups at Quang are better than the chicken soups at Pho 83.
I like the restaurant for some of their specialty dishes - lemongrass chicken and tiger pork.
So my opinion is that there is better, but Pho 83 has its good points. You could do a lot worse.
Il Gatto closed
Wow, it sounds like the owner is blaming patrons lack of culinary concern : "I thought people wanted something that would spike, culinarily. Turns out they didn't want guanciale."
Duplex closed
I was not a fan. The two times I went there, we ordered many items and no one was impressed. Some of the dishes were salted beyond edibility. The small rooms with hardwood floors made them very loud - especially when there was a table of 4 women drinking wine in the same room, which happened on both visits.
Rye Delicatessen - Minneapolis
Wow, you ripped Andrew as badly as he ripped Rye.
I read Andrew's review, and it seems to mirror everything that has been said in this thread. Does that mean everyone in this thread sucks too?
Duck in the Metro
I got one from Farm on Wheels at the St. Paul farmers market. This time of year I would call ahead and order one, then pick it up at the farmers market on saturday.
http://www.farmonwheels.net/
Surdyk's Liquor infuriates Surly Nation!!!
So you're fine with the regular $18 price Surly is charging for a bottle of Darkness, but you don't like Surdyk's 100% markup?
In a way, I took your advice. Rather than kill myself trying to get a bottle of Darkness, I bought a bottle of Stone Brewery Russian Imperial Stout for $6.99. And I bought it at Surdyks. :)
happy hour at Faces Mears Park
I have dinner plans forthcoming at this place. I thought I would check out their happy hour while I'm there, but one look at their online menu makes me think they do not put much thought/effort into the happy hour.
Burgers, pizza, wings, "select" wine, 1 tap beer, rail drinks . . . they know how to take the happy out of happy hour.
A bit late...but in honor of the 293rd Birthday of the 4th Earl of Sandwich...
The meatball sandwich at Brianno's in Eagan.
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Brianno's
2280 Cliff Rd, Saint Paul, MN 55122
Surdyk's Liquor infuriates Surly Nation!!!
That's right wineglas1. Surdyk's is probably for the "weekend warriors" of wines - too advanced for the corner liquor store but not into wine enough to seek out real sources. I've bought over 100 bottles this year, and none of them from Surdyks. But I have bought some cheeses there, and I overall respect the shop for what it is.
Surdyk's Liquor infuriates Surly Nation!!!
I think the issue is that Surly created this whole situation with their limited distribution. It is in their best interest to see stuff like this, as it adds hype and brand awareness. While Omar publicly was upset, he probably is pleased to see all this commotion about his beer.
Furthermore, Surly makes some decent beers but plenty of duds as well. People act like Surly is the best thing since sliced bread when in fact they are a solid contender in a very crowded field. There are a lot of great breweries in America now.
any good breakfast sandwiches in MSP??
Me too.
But this was a sunday patio thing, right? Is it available in the bar or something?
Shoo bee doo, try this sandwich at Heidi's.
Where are y'all going for Restaurant Week?
Amore Victoria is dead to me. I had a similar experience, I'm almost positive that they were using canned soup as the sauce in their chicken marsala. It's a shame because their food was pretty good when they first opened.
Where are y'all going for Restaurant Week?
I think the lack of responses here is partly due to them doing restaurant week 4 times a year now. It is a bit much, and the restaurants don't change much. Furthermore, it is basically a small discount. As someone here said, it's like getting dessert free. I think that is a good analogy.
Having said that, Capital Grille is a good value. So are the D'amico restaurants.
I have never been impressed with the food at Bradstreet, both restaurant week and the regular menu. Their drinks are nice and worth the $10 splurge. The food, not so much. I would go somewhere else.
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Capital Grille
801 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Congrats to Meritage on its first Oysterfest
Yes, that does sound good. I'll have to look for this next year if they do it. It sounds like fun.
I could definitely eat 35 oysters, but not sure I'd want to! I think I'd be ready for a steak or something after about 20.
Congrats to Meritage on its first Oysterfest
I didn't go. I thought about it but it sold out before I decided. So just to clarify, it was as many oysters as you can eat, for $2.89 each, correct?
Mandarin Kitchen: Don't Get It.
That will be a welcome improvement over Jun Bo!
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Jun Bo
7717 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55423
state fair prices: shocking
I agree completely. I was just responding to someone else's comment comparing the food at the renaissance festival favorably to the state fair. The state fair food is what it is, the food at the renaissance is lousy.
state fair prices: shocking
I agree the Renaissance festival is more entertaining. I think the food at the Renaissance is significantly worse than the State Fair, and just not good by any stretch of the imagination. The turkey legs are ok, but I can't name another food there that is even passable as food. Campbells soup in a bread bowl?
Whole Foods Supposedly Coming To Edina
Any news about the Byerlys in Edina being remodeled? Because of this thread I went to the Byerlys in St. Louis Park and it is MUCH better. At least for cheese and some higher quality dry foods. It would be an improvement if they made the Edina store as nice as the St. Louis Park one. Usually when I go to the Edina Byerlys, I walk out asking myself why I bothered.
Edit - found a recent article, still in the planning stage :
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/print-edition/2011/08/12/big-changes-ahead-for-edina-byerlys.html
